Lisa Reihana

Recording the place

Lisa Reihana’s video installation Groundswell is a close-up investigation of Ngawha Springs in Northland. It captures the acrid landscape and bubbling hot pools of these healing springs, regarded as a wāhi tapu (sacred site) by the iwi (tribes) of the region.

Reihana places Groundswell in the tradition of landscape painting. With its earthy tones, the installation echoes the colours of 1950s state housing in New Zealand. The work is also a tribute to Reihana's father, who has tribal connections to Northland.

Reihana is a leader in time-based art, which includes video, sound, digital, performance, and installation works that unfold over time. She acknowledges many influences, including 1970s video art and the work of Korean-American artist Nam June Paik.

This text was prepared for the Collecting Contemporary exhibition February 2012.